Where to BaseCamp in the PNW for Large Group?

[bkva]

Hi Everyone - 

This summer I may be bringing a large group (10-18) of adults from an east coast climbing club to experience the climbing in the PNW.  I'm no stranger to the Cascades, but I've never been out there with such a large group before.  

Climbing experience of the group could vary from people who just follow trad to those with technical alpine experience and everything in between.  

Ideally, we'd pop up a base camp at a campground for however many days and folks could go out on their own day climbs or mini expeditions and return to the camp at night.  We've done this sort of thing before in Yosemite, with everyone staying at Tuolumne Meadows.  In a perfect world, we'd go into to Boston Basin for a week, but with the permitting system we can't count on that (and not everyone will be glacier ready).     

I'm familiar with Washington Pass and Leavenworth, so those are the first areas that come to mind that offer an array of climbing for all skill levels.  Can anyone recommend any other areas that may be suitable for this type of trip?  Most in the group will be rock climbers, but there will be a few that want to climb some moderate glacier routes up something like Baker or Shuksan.  Would love to base camp in a centralized location in the park to be able to accommodate a variety of objectives.  Moving camps midway throughout the trip isn't out of the question either.   

Thanks for the help!

Bill

 

[Rad]

A group campsite on Icicle Creek in Leavenworth is probably your best option. 

[JasonG]

You could grab sites at the forest service camps on the east side of Hwy 20.  Plenty of hiking and climbing options up there.  I guess it depends whether or not you want to be close to city stuff and cragging or more want to be in the mountains.

[olyclimber]

group site in the Icicle, as mentioned, i think is the best.  lots of stuff for every skill level....and they actually have group campsites.

[bkva]

Thanks for the comments so far.  I really appreciate it.  

 

I found the Icicle Group Campground - https://www.recreation.gov/camping/icicle-group-campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=112839

Is this the one you all are referring to, or are there others?

[JasonG]

Here is another, this is a great group site:  https://www.recreation.gov/camping/bridge-creek-group-site/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=73880

[rat]

https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/mbs/recreation/camping-cabins

https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/okawen/recreation/camping-cabins

if you can find a place in the baker lake-darrington-marblemount area & the weather cooperates, there are opportunities for multi-pitch rock (darrington/squire/spring mt., maybe mt. erie & coal mt.), single pitch sport (mt. erie, newhalem), as well as lots of alpine rock & glacial travel within easy striking distance.

if the weather craps out, you could move east of washington pass (goat wall & environs, alpine rock at wapass) or to leavenworth.